VOIP

VOIP is an acronym for Voice Over Internet Protocol, or in more common terms phone service over the Internet.
If you have a reasonable quality Internet connection you can get phone service delivered through your Internet connection instead of from your local phone company. VoIP has a lot of advantages over the traditional phone system. The main reason for which people are so massively turning to VoIP technology is the cost. VoIP is said to be cheap, but most people use it for free. Yes, if you have a computer with a microphone and speakers, and a good Internet connection, you can communicate using VoIP for free. This can also be possible with your mobile and home phone.

How does VOIP work?

A way is required to turn analog phone signals into digital signals that can be sent over the Internet.
This function can either be included into the phone itself (example: VOIP Phones) or in a separate box like an ATA( Analog Telephone Adapter ).

 

VOIP Using ATA

Ordinary Phone ---- ATA ---- Ethernet ---- Router ---- Internet ---- VOIP Service Provider

 

VOIP using an IP Phone

IP Phone ----- Ethernet ----- Router ---- Internet ---- VOIP Service Provider

 

VOIP connecting directly

It is also possible to bypass a VOIP Service Provider and directly connect to another VOIP user.

IP Phone ----- Ethernet ----- Router ---- Internet ---- Router ---- Ethernet ---- IP Phone

Why use VOIP?

There are two major reasons to use VOIP

• Lower Cost
• Increased functionality